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On my recent trip to Venice and Sicily, I took some time to sketch the beauty. New full size watercolors are in progress now, but for now, here's a sample. These are for sale. Ask me and I'll send you sizes and prices. they are in the range of 10x12 or 12x14 . $150-$200. In the Gallery on a hot Memorial Day weekend. Not a cloud in the sky, I should be at the beach or relaxing by the pool, but this is a big retail weekend. I'm just back from visiting my home away from home Grand Cayman. A very generous client (shout out to Cheri from Wichita) offers me her place to saty when I'm there. Its on the water and reminds me so much of my condo that I lost to IVAN, the hurricane that devastated Grand Cayman '04. I used to sit on my deck and contemplate the beautiful Caribbean Sea. That is where I had so much inspiration and time to dream. Now a days my life gets busy from the moment I wake up. Since signing a licensing contract with Portfolio Group- New York Graphic Society and my work is appearing in many retail stores throughout the country. People see my work and contact me through this website. not only that, but also the visitors to Delray Beach see my work in the gallery and place orders for homes and offices throughout the country. I've had many commissions this year and those times to dream and paint what is in my mind...well, its dwindling. My summer resolution? Its time to get back to my imagination. You'll see new work in the next few months.   So now that the holidays are behind us, Cheryl - the very best manager- and I wish you all a very Happy Healthy and Prosperous New Year and we hope you can find some time to relax and enjoy your life as we try to do.
I've been blessed to be starting my 4th year on Atlantic Avenue and what will be my sixth year in the gallery business in February. Its gone by so quickly and I've met so many interesting people- fans, artists, collectors, people in the business of selling and making art. I never know from one minute to the next how long I will do this gallery thing but for now, I'm enjoying the ride. FINALLY! My muse has returned after a long absence and so I'm going to start painting again. The great thing about a long break is that when I feel it again, I get excited all over again, like an old friend,(or a lover)has returned. So after a quick trip to Naples (Florida ) tomorrow, I will be immersed in color, texture and design again. A place where I love to be and hope to always be. thank you all for paying respect and attention to our efforts. Now that the long hot days of summer are upon us in Florida, my muse has returned with a vengeance, wonderful one at that! She has me up night and day translating what is in my head, like a paintbrush gone mad. All the images and sights from France are tumbling out, and a few others in between. I am filled with inspiration and ideas, thinking of color and shapes most of the time when life doesn't interrupt me- phone calls, forms to fill out, grocery shopping, feed myself- all the mundane tasks I still have to do. Any personal assistants available? Here's a recently finished painting in its stages, from a watercolor sketch to a rough draw to a few stages of progression. These are lemons that were on a table at our hotel outside of Nice. The lighting was perfect, the composition divine and even the background was mysterious and subtle. finished size 36x35.  Just remembering all the wonderful meals in the cafes, the wine, the characters we met. The great food, often simple yet delicious. The sunny days filled with rolling hills and lavender fields. Hardly ever saw a gas station, or market, or 7-11 or CVS, and the one McDonalds our cab driver took us to (in desperation, we were starving!) was spotless, modern with touch screen kiosk for ordering in the center and featured expresso, salads made to order with goat cheese and olives, a pastry section, in fact it was hard to find a hamburger! The carafes of rose wine at dinner, a cold beer at lunch with a simple salad. We didn't gain weight, though we lost weight- or at least I did, from all the walking. Great memories. will continue as I paint. Two done , many to go......  Loving Provence! A dream trip, painting with my roomie from Rhode Island School of Design, Lynne Finlay Klein, sketching, eating, drinking and just having a good time. The weather was beautiful, sunny warm days, stays light until 10:30, eating in cafes, rose wine, fish terrine, capers, baguettes, creme brulee, no rush- no checks unless you ask, sit all day and relax, people watch, sketch, finish the watercolor at night at home, great hotels, comfy beds ;), friendly people, sketchy internet connections, practicing my French and Spanish sprinkled in, lavender in bloom, sunflower fields in bloom, can't wait to paint everything I saw. Could paint France for the next year. Good thing we had GPS on Lynne's iphone cause it got us around in our little stick shift car but we also both have good sense of direction- Lynne's is better, high speed trains, French countryside whizzing by. Feeling art and artists all around. The ghosts and angels of Van Gogh, Gauguin, Picasso, and all the guys and gal artists who exchanged their art for room and board at the lengendary Colombe D"Or in St Paul de Vence. My goodness! That dining room and hallways are better than any art museum, art worth a fortune and best pieces, Calder up the yin yang, and everyone else. Need I say more? Maybe soon............but need to paint. Stay tuned for new work! ps.ABOVE: Lemons and oranges still life at my hotel (outside of Nice).  Only a few days from now I will be in Paris and then the next day train to Provence. I'm taking some much needed "me time" in France. I'll be staying in some pretty neat places, Arles, St Paul de Vence, Gardas, and hope to catch the lavender fields in bloom, and sunflowers too. What a treat that would be. I have a nifty portable easels, watercolors and paper will probably be purchased in France, since I prefer French materials anyway. A friend from RISD is joining me on this adventure and it will be interesting to see who spurs who onto painting. Left to my own devices I could easily hang out in cafes all day and wander around aimlessly! I'll try to post photos of my work or at least my destinations as I go....Fun fun,
May is here and so begins the slower months in south Florida. Time to relax, go to the beach, swim in the pool, travel, paint ,visit friends and family. The muse has returned to me after an extended vacation! and so it goes, my head and heart are into painting. Watercolors, one after another. you will see them posted here soon. When its working it all comes out right and not too much second guessing. It still amazes me to look at what I painted after I stand back because while I'm into it I don't see the whole picture. Happily painting for now.
Then a trip to Grand Cayman soon to catch up on some business, friends and some soca music. After that, really getting excited! I'll be painting in France with Lynne- my old - well she and I are not so old- roomie from RISD- we've decided to spend a few weeks in Provence and hope to catch the lavendar in bloom. We've rented a townhouse in Arles and then will travel to St Paul de Vence and back to Gordes where with some luck the lavender will be in full bloom. If its not, we can take artistic license and paint the fields lavender. Hopefully I will find time to update this blog with photos while I'm there. but surely the gallery will have many paintings of France next season...Happy trails to you. Enjoy the summer- it its summer where you are... |
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